Building a Personal Brand Through Media and Content

Are you the owner of a successful business seeking to expand your brand and boost your visibility?

In this episode, I sit down with the world’s leading customer service speaker and New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author, Shep Hyken, who has 39 years of experience, operates a virtual training center, and has recently written an article about TikTok customer service for Forbes to gain valuable insights on how to build a successful business, gain recognition as an expert in your field, and learn the strategies and techniques needed to increase your visibility and establish yourself as a reputable and in-demand expert in your field:

1. Realize that you’re not going to get rich when you publish a book.

It’s true that writing a book alone won’t make someone wealthy, but it can certainly contribute to it. As Shep discovered when writing his first book, ‘Moment of Magic,’ someone once told him that the book would make him a million dollars. This wasn’t because of the book sales themselves, but rather the opportunities that would arise from people reading the book and hiring him as a result.

Ready to write a book but not sure how to begin? Here is a Office Hour that can help you write a book on a weekend with the use of AI. 

2. Stop thinking of yourself as just a professional and think of yourself as a media company instead. 

As you create more media, such as articles, videos, podcasts, and programs, it will attract more interest in your work and business, and as a result, you will likely see an increase in phone calls and potential clients.

3. Produce Quality Content

Starting out, it can feel like you’re just throwing things against the wall and hoping something sticks. But remember that the quality of production is not as important as the quality of content. While the video itself should be of decent quality, make sure the audio is excellent as most people today watch on mobile devices. Additionally, adding captions can ensure that your content is relevant and easily understood.

When writing Article

As a business owner, one of the most important things you can do is establish yourself as an expert in your field. One way to do this is by writing articles that showcase your knowledge and expertise. But why is the length of your article so important?

Shep Hyken has learned that an article with a length of 400-500 words is more likely to be picked up by publications like Ink Magazine and Forbes Magazine than a short blog post.

One of Shep’s idols in the digital marketing space, Seth Golden, blogs every day with short paragraphs or two, but because of this, his articles are not as likely to be picked up by major publications. By writing longer articles with a length of 400-500 words, you increase the chances of your work being featured in various publications on a regular basis.

But it’s not just about the length of the article, the content also needs to be of high quality and relevant to your target audience. By providing valuable insights and actionable tips, you can establish yourself as a reputable and in-demand expert in your field.

When writing your article, keep in mind that it should be well-researched, well-written and informative. You should also make sure that your article is well-structured, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.

In addition to writing articles, you can also build your brand by creating videos, podcasts, and other types of content. The key is to create consistent, high-quality content that resonates with your target audience. By doing so, you will be able to attract more clients, build your brand and establish yourself as a reputable and in-demand expert in your field.

In conclusion, writing articles with a length of 400-500 words is an effective way to establish yourself as an expert in your field and increase your visibility. By providing valuable insights and actionable tips, you can attract more clients, build your brand and establish yourself as a reputable and in-demand expert in your field. Remember, it’s not just about the length of the article, but also the quality and relevance of the content.

Promotional vs Informational content

When it comes to building your brand and establishing yourself as an expert in your field, it’s important to remember that promoting yourself is not as effective as helping others be more successful. The more you share valuable information and insights, the more you will be seen as a credible and trustworthy expert.

This is the philosophy that Shep Hyken follows when writing his articles. He believes that if an article doesn’t have at least half a dozen tweetable lines, it’s not a good article.

By creating articles that are easily shareable and provide valuable insights and actionable tips, you will be able to attract more clients, build your brand, and establish yourself as a reputable and in-demand expert in your field. Furthermore, by crafting your articles in a way that they can be easily shared through tweets and memes, you will be able to reach a wider audience and gain more visibility.

In summary, promoting yourself is not as effective as helping others be successful. By providing valuable information and insights, you will be seen as a credible and trustworthy expert. Additionally, by crafting articles that are easily shareable and have tweetable lines, you will be able to attract more clients, build your brand, and establish yourself as a reputable and in-demand expert in your field.

People talk about content marketing and how you need ‘great content,’ but how, exactly does one create ‘great content,’ especially with limited resources? Here is the Content Marketing Course that can help you out.

4. Plan out

When Shep first started creating content, it was a numbers game. He was receiving hundreds of calls per week, but to make the most of these opportunities, he created a target list and planned ahead. It’s important to have a plan in place and a clear idea of who your target audience is and how you want to reach them.

5. Frequency of your Videos

If you decide to create YouTube videos, a reasonable frequency is once a week.

Want to learn how to get started with the creation of these videos like a pro? Here is an Office Hour Episode that can get you up to speed.

6. The first 30 seconds

The length of your video depends on your content and audience. While some argue that longer videos are better, we believe that two or three minutes is sufficient for TikTok videos, but 30 seconds is optimal for quick, engaging content. You can accomplish a lot in 30 seconds if you plan your strategy and create a consistent media schedule.

7. Start Podcasting

Once you’ve created a few videos or podcasts, it becomes easier to produce and attract a dedicated audience. 

Shep, for example, started his own podcast and on a good day, 12,500 people watched that episode. These are people who are actively listening to what he has to say. 

The key is to focus on a specific, narrow niche and not try to appeal to everyone. As the saying goes, ‘riches are in the niches’ so don’t worry about trying to reach a broad audience. Instead, focus on speaking to your tribe and only your tribe, this is how you’ll get the best results.

Need help with how you can get started with your podcasting career? Here is another Office Hour Episode that tackles the strategies and best practices for creating a successful podcast. 

8. Start Speaking

How do you decide how much to charge?

Pricing for a speaker’s fee is determined by supply and demand. While it may be difficult to know what to charge when first starting out, a successful CEO with a strong track record, such as a chief customer officer for Amazon, will likely have high demand for their expertise and can charge accordingly. However, it’s important to note that being a good speaker is also crucial to meeting the expectations of the audience.

How do you know what to charge?

Determining your fee as a speaker begins with understanding your worth. If you receive no interest or bookings after quoting a high fee, it may be too high, whereas receiving a high volume of bookings with a low fee may not be financially sustainable. Having a general fee range can be helpful as a starting point, but it’s important to consider the scope of the work and adjust your fee accordingly. It’s also important to have a good understanding of the market and what other similar speakers are charging.

When do you speak for free? 

Only go if you believe the discussion is worthwhile. For Shep, two things need to be considered:

1. “Will someone influential give me a glowing testimonial if I do a good job?”
2. “Will I be able to connect with five people not in this company, who would hire someone like me and have a budget for my services?” 

The Technique

When speaking, use storytelling to convey your message. This approach is more engaging and relatable than simply lecturing like a professor. By sharing specific stories of your experiences, you establish yourself as an authority through your expertise and credibility. Additionally, storytelling allows you to connect with your audience and create a sense of vulnerability and relatability.

Getting started with Speaking? Here is another Office Hour Episode that provides the tips and tricks from of how to become a Professional Speaker in no time. 

When building your personal brand, consider not only what you do but also how you present it to the media. For example, a professional speaker like Shep who specializes in customer service is also a media company that creates content that is distributed through various channels such as YouTube, blogs, articles, and a Forbes column.

It’s important to not only focus on the quality but also on the consistency and quantity of your content releases. Keep in mind that it’s not about quality over quantity; it’s about finding the right balance.

Don’t compare yourself to someone like Shep and feel like you need to have the same level of charisma and charm; what’s important is that your content resonates with the right audience.

Remember, everyone starts somewhere, and it takes time and effort to become a pro. Recognize your accomplishments along the way and remember that success doesn’t happen overnight.

How long does it take to be successful?

IIt is possible to achieve success as a professional speaker or consultant relatively quickly if you approach it the right way and are persistent. If you’re serious about building a business, it’s important to devote your time fully to it and not just as a side hustle. 

To be successful, you need to focus on acquiring new clients and building your business. Devoting your time to acquiring new business is crucial to growing and scaling your business.

Need help with how you can grow your online presence and turn yourself into a thought leader? Here is the Personal Branding Course that can help you out.